Eugene Franklin Palmer was born on June 23, 1918, at Ramona, South Dakota, to Frank and Myrtle Palmer. He had two brothers and four sisters. When Eugene was only a year old, his mother fell ill and died in the influenza epidemic of 1919.

On his 48th mission a bomber escort into
Brenner Pass his flight was bounced by 33
enemy planes and in the ensuing dogfight
his plane was hit by a 37m.m. cannon shell
which exploded in the cockpit wounding
him. His plane still responded so he continued fighting until forced to bailout later
when the oxygen bottle blew up engulfing
the cockpit in flames.

Recalled to active duty in 1950, he flew
100 fighter-bomber missions in the F-80
with the 51st Fighter Wing in Korea. Later,
with various ADC fighter squadrons in the
CONUS he new the T-28, T-33, F-86D, E, F
and L. In 1954, on duty with the US Navy's
famous VF -11 "Red Rippers," he accumulated 91 carrier landings in the F2H4 Banshee aboard the USS Coral Sea

Bill proposed and urged the publication of this type of book of P-47 pilots as a
means of recording for public view the part
that the P-47 pilots played in World War II,
a part that otherwise might be buried in
government archives

Parker completed his second tour of duty
after 37 ground support missions in Korea
while flying P-51 's and wishing for a P-47 .
He was a guest of honor, along with five of
his 44-I classmates, at Craig Field during
graduation exercises for class of 77-I

Enlisted
in the Army Air Force as a Cadet April 19,
1942. Graduate of Class 43D April, 1943.
As a single engine fighter pilot was selected
to join the 368 Fighter Group when it was
put together at Westover Field, Massachusetts in the summer of 1943. Served with the
8th and 9th Air Force in Europe, flying a
total of 102 missions, 250 combat hours, all
in the P-47 Thunderbolt.

June 6, 1944, flying cover for D-DAY invasion
beaches. Sitting at 10,000 feet watching the
entire operation, the ships stretching from
England to France. The landing on the
beaches. A frustrating feeling to fly cover and
not see one German Plane.